Sure, we all try to be more conscious of where our food comes from these days. To make sure you’re putting as few steps as possible between the farm and your table, you can shop the farmers’ market week after week, or join a CSA, or even try your hand at growing some of your own produce. But when it comes to dining out, it takes a bit more diligence to ensure that you’re making good choices.
Photo by Moshe Zusman provided by Ellen Gray
One of the local chefs who has been extolling the virtues of the “Fresh, Local, Seasonal” mindset since before locavores knew what to call themselves is Todd Gray. The chef who recently brought Watershed to NoMA has been cooking in time with the seasons at Equinox for more than a dozen years. Last year, he got together with the people behind the annual International Wine and Food Festival to create a one-of-a-kind dining experience: the Urban Farm Table Under the Stars.
The Urban Farm Table was a chance for four local chefs to partner with local producers and really show off their fresh, seasonal ingredients to the best of their abilities. Guests sat at long communal tables on the Woodrow Wilson Plaza of the International Trade Center and Ronald Reagan Building. It was such a success that they’ll be back for a second seating on Friday, June 17th.
Details on tickets and a sneak peek at this year’s menu after the jump. (more…)
You have to hand it to Todd and Ellen Gray when it comes to naming restaurants. Equinox, their downtown dining destination, has been offering balanced, seasonally-inspired menus for more than a decade now. But they’ve taken ‘meaning’ to a whole new level with Todd Gray’s Watershed, their new restaurant which opened this weekend on First Street, NE.
Watershed announces itself as a celebration of the “Coastal Cuisine of the Eastern Seaboard,” with special emphasis on ingredients and recipes found in the Chesapeake watershed region. Walking up to the restaurant (entered through the lobby of the new Hilton Garden Inn), it’s easy to find a second interpretation of the name. This IS a watershed moment for the area developers branded as NoMA (North of Massachusetts Avenue), as it brings sit-down dining and a chef’s touch to a neighborhood previously served only by fast-casual chains and coffee shops.
We had the chance to take a look at Watershed a few days before its official opening on Friday night, and we stopped in again yesterday to see how things are going. We found a raw bar with an impressive if choosy selection, a dining room with a warm and inviting palette, and a killer patio. Oh…and the food we tried last night was a great reminder of Chef Gray’s respect for the quality of his ingredients, too.
So what can you expect to find when you have your Watershed moment? Check it out after the jump. (more…)
